


The Red Path

by Eternal_Love_Song



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: F/M, It didn't have to be this complicated, Loki does not make things easy, Loki doesn't give straight answers, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Overthinking, Reading Between The Lines, Simple conversations made complicated
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-25
Updated: 2014-07-12
Packaged: 2018-01-26 11:27:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1686674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eternal_Love_Song/pseuds/Eternal_Love_Song
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Black Widow approaches Loki in the Helicarrier with one thing on her mind, how to get back  Agent Barton. At the last minute, though, she decides to make a different play.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Natasha watched closely as Loki paced around in his glass cage, looking for all the world as if he were completely unconcerned. It didn't bother her so much as it made her suspicious. Clearly, he was planning something. Clearly, he thought he had the upper hand. What he was waiting for, what he could do from inside that cage, what he had in store for Clint, she couldn't know, but she watched him. After only a few minutes of watching him she approached, ready to make her play.

Loki wasn't looking at her, hadn't been looking in the direction that she approached from at all, when he spoke. "There's not many people that can sneak up on me."

 _And I didn't_ , she thought, despite the fact that his voice implied otherwise. It was a typical move, flatter someone into thinking they are on your level. That you think they are on your level, a facsimile of respect that can put an enemy at ease. She wasn't going to fall for it.

"But you figured I'd come," She stated blankly.

"After," Loki told her plainly. His eyes gave her a quick once over as he approached, seizing her up just as she had done to him, though he didn't know it. "After whatever tortures Fury could concoct." A smile fought it's way onto his face, as if he couldn't help but find his words immensely funny, as he continued. "You would appear as a friend, as a balm, and I would co-operate."

She thought she understood the joke. She'd laugh, too, if someone had come at her with such a plan. Probably play along with it. Loki was a good liar and the only way to work around liars was not with carefully constructed plans, but with impulse and surprise. That was why, even though she kept her face straight --she always kept her face straight, or a mask ready to manipulate her opponents-- she impulsively decided to show her hand. Her true hand.

"I want to know what you've done with Agent Barton."

Loki seemed almost uninterested as he answered, "I'd say I've expanded his mind." Too disinterested, she'd say, but she couldn't know why. Still, she couldn't let this go so easily.

"Once you've won," she began as she approached, "Once you're king of the mountain, what happens to his mind?" She was close enough to his cage to map out the manic expression on his face. He looked gleeful, but not joyful. He had the eyes of someone who hadn't slept, the smile of a manic, the too bright eyes of one trying --and failing-- to cover his paranoia. She let slips her mask, hoping to catch something else from him, letting him see that this was not her play. _This_ was real.

"Is this love Agent Romanov?" Loki questioned, his eyes studying her expression closely.

It was almost a knee-jerk reaction when she responded, "Love is for children. I owe him a debt." She'd had to say that response so often that she didn't even think of it anymore. The question barely registered.

Loki was willing to indulge her, it seemed. He gestured to the chair outside his cage as he went to his own saying, "Tell me."

Until this moment, she hadn't really known what play she would make. Loki wasn't being moved by her feelings, not really, but he was direly gleeful at watching this small crack in her mask, at being able to drag it just a touch wider. He was having fun trying to manipulate her and trying to figure her out. But she recognized something else there, as well. Something she remembered seeing on herself so long ago. It wasn't hard to see that Loki was _tired_. Only now she thought that she knew what he might he tired of.

At that moment, she knew what her play was.

So when he said, "Tell me." She did. She painted the picture of herself that she most wanted him to see, that he could most use. An assassin, a very good assassin, and her face said someone to be feared, instead of someone _you_ should fear. She painted the story of would be assassin whose mercy swayed her to his side, and he was attentive as the message came through loud and clear. Bloodied hands was in no way none negotiable.

Loki looked down, looked away, taking in her words. Taking in her message. Reading pages that were left unsaid, reading expressions that were hidden behind mask. She waited. She was nothing if not a patient woman. People in her line of work had to be.

"And what will you do if I spare him?" That question was almost weakness in and of itself. What are you offering me? What can you do for me? An admission of consideration, and admission of hope, an admission of desire.

" _Not_ let you out," She told him and the weight of that statement hung tangible in the air. It wasn't the implied freedom of letting him go that held, but the unspoken _anything_ that it implied.

Loki chuckled, released that manic grin as he asked, eyes too wide and too interested, "Your world hangs in the balance and you bargain for one man."

"Regimes fall everyday. I tend not to weep over that, I'm Russian. Or I was." And the unspoken, so could yours, was a loud after echo.

"And what are you now?"

This, she decided, was the time to make her play.

"It's not that complicated. I got red in my ledger, I'd like to wipe it out." She paused, before adding, "Shield knows what I've done, and they keep me for it. They know what I could do and they keep me. No one could have pulled me out before I was ready, but before Agent Barton came along, no one dared ask, either. People like us can't be forced. Force it what made us, it can't unmake us."

"Can you really wipe out that much red?" It was a question for himself as much as it was for her.

"My hands are so red that I can't even see the flesh underneath, but Agent Barton is still willing to shake my hand. Shield is full of people that can still shake my hand at the end of the day and not cringe at the sight of my bloodied hands. I only needed one person for that, but it's nice to have more."

There was a duel offer in that sentence. I only need Agent Barton, I will do whatever it takes to get him back, and the implied, _even join you_ , was only as subtle as it had been previously in the conversation. But there was also the invitation; I am a monster, we --Shield-- are monsters, and you could be one of us.

Loki was quiet as he watched her, assessing. What could you do for me, as well as, what could I do for you; which offer is the better one. He looked away so that she couldn't see him calculating the benefits and risk of each offer, but she saw anyway. All she had to do was imagine herself in his place, _remember_ herself in his place, and she knew. Loki was not to be trusted. She was not to be trusted, but they could both be used.

The silence didn't last long before he spoke, voice low and smooth, though that confidence had to be false. "What are you saying, Agent Romanov?"

"I'm not saying anything," She told him. "I'm asking."

"Is shield asking?" He practically snarled at her. "Is your director asking? I hardly believe that he would be willing--"

She cut him off. "You asked me what I would do," She reminded him.

Because it was still important that her main message was not lost. None of this, without Agent Barton. Everything on this condition, anything on this condition, and nothing without.

And Loki thought. Natasha waited, watching his eyes as he quickly thought out his next move. Then his eyes flashed up to hers. "I'll give you your Agent Barton, but be assured, should you betray me, I'll snatch him right back."

Natasha just waited. She saw the threat for what it was, fear. Giving yourself to the will of an enemy, especially an enemy that claims your aid, was risky move. He wouldn't be able to control all the pieces involved.

"He's coming." Loki told her. "Let me out and I set him free."

"And my offer?" She asked. Not because it was important, Agent Barton was important, but she'd promised anything --in between the lines-- and she needed to know what she'd have to do to fulfill that promise.

"Your question," He corrected her. And just like that she knew for certain. Because no on could have forced her, even serving her redemption on a golden platter, no one could have made her move, and Loki, it seemed, was just stubborn enough to feel the same way. Not a single move unless it was on his terms, but he was desperate enough to bargain, for some reason, and she wanted to find out why.

"My question," she agreed, waiting.

Loki stood, grinned a little less manically. More charm, empty though it was. He stepped close to the glass and said, "I would like to shake your hand, Agent Romanov."

She searched his face for any signs of lying or falsehood, but she'd been doing that the whole time and she was fairly certain there was none. Even if he was lying about wanting to join shield, she knew that he wasn't lying about giving her Barton and that was the only real priority that she had.

Slowly, not taking her eyes off of him, she moved toward the controls and pressed a button.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story came from watching the Avengers, picking out every single time that Loki could have potentially changed his mind, deciding to write each of them (if I can), and then deciding that this one was the easiest to write first. The idea of Loki and Black Widow is very interesting to me and I can only hope that I do justice to the both of them in the future.
> 
> I have no idea how long or short this story may turn out to be.   
> Hopefully, you liked this. Hopefully, you'll leave a comment.  
> Either way, thank you for reading~


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In Which: Loki talks to Nick Fury, It would be too easy to give straight answers, and Captain American just wanted to understand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Personally, I'm very proud of myself. I wasn't sure if I'd be good at writing the Captain, but I think it turned out well.

Natasha waited, arms crossed over her chest, for Loki to step out of his cell. As he did so, they exchanged a complicated look wherein they established rules and dominance. Loki still had what she wanted, Agent Barton, but Natasha would be his buffer against Shield, if he were to truly try to defect from whatever plan he'd been running. There was no need to exchange threats. They both had equal power over the other, if they had been honest about their desires, and they were essentially where they had begun otherwise.

"You need to tell us everything," She said to him. "Fury won't go for this otherwise."

"And how will he know if I've told him everything?" Loki asked with a smirk, unable to help himself. She wouldn't expect anything different from someone calling themself a god of mischief.

Nothing in her face or expression changed, though she was a little amused, as she answered, "I'll tell him."

"And who will tell you, Agent Romanov?" Loki sidled closer, his voice on the threatening end of a purr.

"I'll know," She answered simply, looking directly in his eyes. "Liars know liars."

He smiled again, manic charm. "Yes, I suppose so." He let silence encompass them for a moment before saying, "I will need the spear to release Barton of my hold."

"Fury won't go for that," she answered immediately. Which was not the same as saying, _I won't do that_ , but he already knew that she would, if needed.

"He's coming here. For me," Loki said lightly. "I'd rather stop him quickly, if possible. Certainly that would placate your Shield more than not."

"The Avengers are guarding it. You won't get to it easily." Funny how she already discounted herself from that group, as if she wasn't supposed to be one of them. Loki's eyes lit up at her statement, likely with the same thoughts. "Is there another way?"

Loki hesitated.

Natasha took a step forward. "Tell me."

"They will come," Loki said firmly, avoiding the question she asked. "I cannot stop them before they are before me. You tell me, agent, what would be most prudent? Shall we go to The Avengers so that I may retrieve my weapon or shall we risk speaking to your Director? Barton will be returned either way, regardless of whatever destruction he reaps beforehand, so it is your call."

Natasha debated quickly in her head. If they approached Fury with the spear, he would think she was being controlled and fighting off the avengers was likely to be... unpleasant, and distract from the goal of winning over Fury. Talking to Fury would make the chance to get the spear tremendously lower, but if they were able to warm him, the collateral damage would likely lessen significantly.

It was selfish that despite that, she still wanted to go for the spear, get Barton back as soon as possible. The Black Widow was not one that was so easily swayed by emotions, however, so she made the more reasonable seeming choice.

"Fury," She said. "Showing him you're up front will go a long way, after."

Loki looked at her contemplatingly, as if surprised by her choice or perhaps her reasoning. "Yes," He mumbled absently. "Yes, I suppose it would."

She quickly caught his eyes, the look speaking volumes. Once she knew that there was nothing else to discuss, no deceptive shadows in his eyes, she nodded in a particular direction and began to lead him off.

* * *

 

To say that Director Fury was not happy with their arrival was an understatement of the highest caliber. A dozen or more agents immediately had their weapons trained on them and Black Widow stopped before she was too close. Loki might have little to worry about if things went south, but she was not in the same position. Loki took a few minute steps after she stopped, putting himself the tiniest bit between her and the rest of the room. Not so much that anyone would notice, not so much that _she_ should notice, but she did. She was his only asset at the moment, it benefitted him to keep her from getting riddled with holes before she spoke.

They both waited out Fury's one eyes death glare as he tried to take in the situation as quickly as possible. She watched him take notice of what Loki did not have in his possession, watched his eye comb over her appearance and body language attentively - she had made certain to project calmness and certainty before entering the room, not wanting to trigger any more misunderstandings that what was inevitable - before he spoke.

"Agent Romanov," Fury spoke calmly, loudly, authority ringing out among the room. "Is there a reason that the prisoner is out of his cell?"

One of the reasons she chose to work for Shield - as opposed to betraying them and simply striking out on her own, as she had contemplated many times in the beginning, certain that if she put her mind to it, Clint would come with her - was because she had a certain confidence in Fury. Despite the fact that he could be rather quick to anger, he was calm and level headed in situations such as this one, which had earned him a great deal of respect from her.

She made certain that her voice held no aggression when she projected it for him. "The prisoner is willing to deal with us, sir."

This statement only made Fury narrow his eye further. "And you thought negotiations were best handled by letting him out of his cell?"

Loki chose this moment to speak up. "We both know that I am where I wanted to be, Director, inside that cage or no." Loki's voice was a smooth purr, all confidence and charisma, poised to charm and anger all at once.

Natasha met the director's eye, putting emphasis into her voice as she repeated, "He's willing to deal, sir."

Fury's eye widened a moment as he took in her meaning, then immediately narrowed in skeptisism. His gaze turned to Loki. "And what does the prisoner want?"

"We may discuss that after, Director, if you are willing to hear me at all," Loki said smoothly.

Fury glared a little longer before speaking. "I'm listening."

Loki took a few steps forward, not enough to seem threatening, but enough to distance himself from her. The distance was important. She was _not_ compromised, not like the other agents had been, she was _not_ on Loki's side, she was _not_ watching his back. Her relaxed manner and carefully wariness of him, not for him, would help to affirm that. It wasn't strictly true, of course, but it wasn't false either. She would only be in accordance with him until Barton was returned.

"I would like to strike an accord with you Director," Loki stated simply. "I would like to do so, but we haven't the time, so until such time, I'm willing to offer a down payment on my sincerity."

"Oh?" Fury replied with heavy sarcasm and skeptism.

"Yes." Loki's replied sounded entirely unconcerned, as if the situation were his to control. As if there weren't more than a dozen weapons trained on him. As if he was not in hostile territory. Enemy or not, she had to admire that level of manipulation. Because she was certain that it was manipulation and not confidence. The situation, whether he wanted it or not, put him at a disadvantage, and no one was so confident when they were at such a severe disadvantage. "My men are coming for me," Loki said steadily.

"They won't get you," Fury responded immediately.

Loki grinned at that, amused, but did not voice his disagreement. Instead he said, "You misunderstand me, Director, this is not a threat. This is a warning. For your benefit, I should clarify." Loki raised one arm, slowly, exaggeratedly, showing he meant no harm, and gestured neatly to Natasha. "The lovely Romanov has convinced me that I would be better suited by co-operation and thus," Loki made another gesture, indicating himself, the situation, "Co-operation."

Fury scrutinized them both hard. Then, focusing squarely on Loki, commanded, "Tell me."

"Nothing for nothing, Director," Loki countered. "I mentioned that I would seek an accord with you, this is not all that I have to bargain with. If you are not willing to entertain the idea later, then I am not willing to part with what I know."

Uncertainty flashed through Natasha for a moment and she wondered, not if she had been played, she was sure that she hadn't, but if Loki would renege on their deal because Fury was not willing to hear him out. Lowly, but not so lowly that she thought he was the only one that heard her, she ground out warningly, "Loki."

Loki turned his head to flash her one of his quick, manic grins. "Worry not, agent. That was that and this is this," He said.

She nodded slightly, but her narrowed eyes stayed on him warily.

Loki looked back to Fury, to all of them. "I was lead to believe," he started, "that if I were to defect, as it were, I would be met with a bit less hostility, not more."

"I never said that," Natasha said, clarifying more for their audience than for Loki, whom she thought knew better.

"No, you did not," He agreed.

Fury glared between them a moment longer. "Fine. If you're serious, we'll hear you out," Fury relented. "But make no mistake, Loki, you aren't off our hostile list just because you say you are."

Loki nodded, almost dismissively, taking another few steps into the room. "They are enemies of Shield, Barton will be among them. They were instructed to go after your engines, first, create an opening to get on board. Barton will come within, seek me out." Loki paused and looked around. "Perhaps to this very room. Tell me, is this usually where you are, Director?" At Fury's less than forth coming look, he added, "To Barton's knowledge?"

"Why?" Was Fury's response.

Loki grinned wider. "No, I am certain now," He answered. "This is where Barton will come."

Fury turned and immediately began barking orders about increasing security, being on the lookout, and Loki let that go on for a while. After a moment, he spoke up again. "Don't you believe that you should have your Avengers alerted? They could certainly alleviate the threat." Fury once more just glared suspiciously at Loki, but the god didn't seem to mind as he continued. "Most of those that are going to attack are enemies, Director, no persuasion from me required. Barton will find his way in quietly. They care not for my safety or well-being and shall not be moved it. When they come, they come to take us all out. Should they fail, I have just provided you with a decent opportunity to be ride of quiet the handy number of opposing forces."

"I want him escorted back to his cell," Fury said, addressing Natasha.

"No," Loki replied. "If I am not going to be a prisoner, I refuse to be further treated as such." The underlining threat was there. You promised to hear me out, Director, you break your word now and so do I.

Fury growled. "One of our empty rooms, then," He spat. "I'll have back-up sent to join you."

Natasha nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Hill," Fury added.

Agent Hill just nodded as she stood to join them.

Loki made no complaints as they went off to find an empty room. Neither Natasha nor Loki made any particular contact or comment towards one another, not on the way nor once they were in the room. Loki simply sat one of the room's empty chairs, away from the door, for their comfort, and grinned at Agent Hill. It was a disturbing sight and she was visibly on edge the entire time.

Only a few minutes had passed when Captain American, fully suited up, entered the room. He looked to Hill. "Director Fury wants you to assist him."

She sent a quick look to Natasha, who nodded slightly, before standing. "Keep an eye on him," She added unnecessarily.

Steve nodded.

Loki perked up, clearly wanting to create mischief of some sort, as seemed to be him preference under any circumstances, but Natasha spoke before he got the chance. "What's the situation?" She asked him seriously.

Steve eyed Loki warily, taking up post on the opposite side of the room. She was standing as well, but further inside the room. She was at an angle to see them both at the same time. Steve seemed to debate a moment as to whether to keep a wary eye on the prisoner or to turn to face her to speak, in the end opting to try and do both. "Fury sent Iron Man out to scout for any approaching enemies."

She nodded.

"Good to see you again, Captain. I'm afraid our conversation seemed to end rather abruptly, last time," Loki said with a grin.

"Can't say that I was looking forward to a continuation," Steve admitted.

Loki's grin widened. "Captain, I'd have thought you would be more open to a conversation with a potential ally."

Steve blinked a few times, and then sent a sideways glance towards Natasha. She nodded at him, but didn't speak. She was curious as to where Loki was going with this. Steve turned back to the god. He crossed his arms as he asked, "Is that what you are now, an ally?"

"Potential ally," Loki clarified. "Status still pending. Your Director did not seem very welcoming of me. I'm feeling put out."

"In my experience, people don't tend to change for no reason," the hero said sternly, eyes locked on Loki's.

"You assume I have no reason," Loki responded.

"I don't see what's changed from the time we brought you abroad."

Loki didn't look at Natasha, but it the small pause that followed, she felt as if he had. Loki leaned back in chair, grin firmly in place, though she felt as though something was cracked at the edges. "Perhaps what has changed is that someone made me a better offer. Perhaps what has changed is that I was asked to."

"Someone asked you?" Steve replied incredulously. "All it took to change your mind was for someone to ask nicely?"

"No," Loki said. He smiled, like he was having an immensely grand time.

The look on Steve's face was one of immense frustration. He didn't have the patients to deal with Loki, to figure him out. Natasha decided to speak up. "He's not going to give you a straight answer," She told him. "He enjoys this too much." Her eyes moved to look at the god straight on for a moment, before her gaze returned to Steve. "He's a sadist."

"Perish the thought!" Loki objected.

"He likes to confuse people. He's just talking to you for the attention."

"That statement seems rather presumptuous of you, Agent Romanov."

Steve seemed to ponder on what she said a moment, then, unable to let it go despite his obvious frustration, he asked, "What do you hope to gain, then, joining our side?"

"What does anyone wish to gain from their allies?" Loki asked, as if it were obvious. "Something that they do not already have."

Despite her projected indifference, Natasha was playing very close attention to their conversation. If Loki was to join Shield, it would be good to have insight on him. To know how he lied, how he tricked. This was almost a controlled experiment. She knew the truth -- mostly -- of why he decided on this path, had a reference of the conversation that he was alluding to. Watching the way he teased and twisted the Captain and the conversation both was... amusing, to say the least. Loki lied with the truth. He was leading Steve in all the wrong directions, but giving him all the pieces of the puzzle. He was almost obvious.

 _Perhaps someone made me a better offer_. Implying that whatever his current plan, whatever his current situation, he wasn't partial to it. Didn't want it.

 _Perhaps someone asked me to._ Implying that he was not often _asked_ to do things, only told.

 _Something they do not already have._ Implying that he does not have, or believes he does not have, allies willing to have him -- _to shake his hand_ , her mind interjected -- despite the red.

Loki was desperate. Or at the very least, he was wanting. Desperate would be better. Desperate would imply that he did not have other options, but she could tell, just by him specifying that they were only potential allies, that he was not above returning to his previous plan.

Steve sighed, obviously frustrated. "To be looking for allies, you aren't very co-operative."

Loki's expression held, but his voice was a little nastier when he responded. "Do you interpret co-operation to be myself bending to all your whims? Because I have had my fill of alliances of that kind."

Steve moved to run his hand through his hair in frustration, forgetting that his mask was up and dropping his hand when he found his hair covered. "That's not-- I didn't mean--” Steve let out a breath. "I'm not trying to pick a fight," He said finally.

"You believe that I am?"

"Yes," Natasha answered for Steve.

Loki's eyes met hers only briefly, before returning to Steve. "I assure you--" But whatever charm Loki had been planning to use was interrupted by the shaking of the helicarrier and the sound of a mild explosion. "Ah. You have guest," Loki said calmly, leaning back in his chair. "Worry not, I shall wait."

Steve looked torn, wanting to rush out the room to try and help, but also not wanting to leave Loki alone. Natasha smiled at him reassuringly. "Go. I'll stay here." She hardened her expression. "Don't worry, I won't be letting him out of my sight."

He dithered a little longer before nodding firmly, deciding to trust her capabilities. He rushed quickly out the door and they remained silent for a beat.

"So how shall we do this, Agent Romanov?" Loki questioned. "Shall we fetch my weapon now, so that I may free him as soon as possible? Or shall we simply go and retrieve him, releasing him at our leisure?"

She contemplated this. If she was too involved in whatever Loki did, it would hurt her reputation, but how much did she care about that, when every moment they hesitated was one more moment that Clint was being controlled? And anyway, if she was caught in Loki's company while he had that spear, she could simply claim to have been under his control. She turned to him. "We get the spear," She said simply.

He didn't argue with her, simply stood and waited for her to take the lead.

* * *

 

Banner was the only one left in the room when she entered, Loki waiting out of sight in the hall. He looked up at the sight of her. "What's going on?" He asked desperately.

"Loki's people are attacking the helicarrier," She answered. She walked over to the spear and picked it up.

"What are you--?"

Natasha gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, doctor, no one should be able to get to you in here. We'll take care of the threat, you just concentrate on the tesseract." That would both calm him and give him something to do. She didn't pause long, though; this was an emergency situation, after all. She left the room quickly, but she didn't hand the weapon to Loki. Not yet.

"Where will he go?" She demanded.

"Were you not listening earlier, Agent Romanov?"

She turned and made her way quickly down the hall, Loki following. They met Agent Barton when they were halfway there. He looked at Natasha, bow ready, but stopped at Loki's command.

"That won't be necessary," Loki said. "Come here, Agent Barton. Do not worry about Agent Romanov." Barton did as he was told, but did not stop wary glances at her. "You may not be partial towards hearing this later, so I suppose that I should say so now, I... am sorry for the extreme methods that I have used on you thus far. It was not at all personal."

"I understand, sir." Barton answered. "I was at the wrong place at the wrong time, it happens." He shrugged.

Loki held his hand toward Natasha, but did not look away from Clint. Wordlessly, she handed him the spear. "I now return you to your rightful owner," Loki said, touching the spear to the middle of his chest. The glow in Clint's eyes brightened for a moment, before completely draining.

Clint blinked a few times, then his bow was at the ready, trained on Loki.

"Don't," Natasha said. "He's on our side, now." She gave Loki a sideway look, which he responded to with that manic grin he was so fond of showing. "At least, he will be." She focused on Clint, quickly looking him over while trying to stay on task at the same time. "Those men you brought here, can you stop them?"

That seemed to break him out of whatever fog lingered in his mind and he swore. "Shit. I know exactly where they’re going."

"We've got to tell Fury," She told him steadily.

"Right." Clint looked warily at Loki. "What about him?"

"Let me worry about him," Natasha said. She gave Loki a look, then said to both of them, "Let's go."

* * *

 

The chaos on the helicarrier was resolved quickly and smoothly. Once that was taken care of and Natasha retrieved the spear from Loki, which he let go without a fight, she was confronted by director Fury. Loki was waiting to be interrogated, under heavy guard, in the same room as earlier. She'd barely had a minute to herself to check out Clint, but he seemed to be alright, from what she could tell. She would have to wait to talk to him, however, until she finished.

Clint looked a little exhausted as he rested against the wall and Fury a little wary as he approached. "You back with us, Barton?" Fury questioned.

"Yes, Sir." Clint's voice sounded tired. "100%, Sir."

Fury looked at Natasha a moment. "You sure about that?"

"I... I remember everything," He said hesitantly. "I remember what I did... I knew that I was only doing it because he'd... done something to me, but I couldn't... “He firmly closed is mouth a moment and Natasha could see him shut down. Then he answered, "I'm fine."

Fury nodded and turned to Natasha, staring her down. She met his gaze with her own cool stare. "You want to explain what this thing with Loki is? Are you compromised, Agent Romanov?"

"No, sir." She answered. "You sent me to talk to Loki, find out what he knows. I did us one better."

"What does he want?" Fury asked straight out, not wanting to beat around the bush.

"Loki wants allies," She told him. "He wants not to be looked at like he's a monster. I told him he could have that here. He's... tired. Like I was tired."

Fury thought on that for a moment. "You think he's serious?"

"I know he's serious," She answered. "What I offered him... he wants it. Badly. He's willing to stop is whole plan to get it. But, if he doesn't like what we give him, he isn't afraid to go back to Plan A."

"What else were you able to get from him?"

"Not much. He's a liar and he likes to rile people up, but we'd be better off with him on our side than against it." Natasha shrugged.

Clint looked very unhappy with this development. Fury turned to him. "You were with him, what did you learn?"

Clint pressed his lips together a moment, looking as if he wouldn't answer for a moment, but then he spoke, "The guys a psycho and he snaps on a dime." He paused briefly, debating what else he would say. "He's not alone." Both Fury and Natasha stood up a little straighter at that. "What I mean is, he was taking orders from someone else. That spear... he seemed... wary of it, but he never put it down. He looked it like he hated it, resented it somehow. He'd always tell us to watch we say..."

"I want that thing locked up tight, Romanov, understand?" Fur snapped.

"Yes, sir."

Fury turned toward the room that Loki waited in, several agents stationed inside and out. "Might as well see what the bastard has to say for himself."

Loki was lounging comfortably in his chair when Fury entered the room. Head tossed back and arms over the back of the chair, legs splayed apart, eyes closed. He looked up when Fury entered, a spark entering is eyes as he sat up and rearranged his body into a more regal position. Neat, polite. For reason, Fury hated the bastard for that alone.

"Ah, Director. Everything thing taken care of, I take it?" Loki asked amiably.

Fury was frowning down at him, refusing to sit. He kept his hand behind his back, his eye in a narrowed eyed glare. "Tell me what you want, Loki."

"To co-operate," Loki answered pleasantly. "I've taken a liking to your Avengers, it would be such a shame to be at odds, wouldn't you say?"

"Cut the bullshit, Loki," Fury snapped. "You expect me to believe that you want to turn over a new leaf? Just like that? You may have fooled Romanov, somehow, into believing that, but--" Fury’s rant was cut off by a laugh. It was both amused and condescending.

"Did she tell you that, Director? That I wanted to turn over a new leaf? I rather think not, I thought she and I understood each other better." His demeanor sobered and looked at Fury director. "I do not want to _'Turn over a new leaf',_ Director. I have said nothing of the sort. I, in fact, told you precisely what it is that I desire, though perhaps you deigned not to listen at the time."

"I'm listening, now."

"I want an accord with you, Director," Loki said simply, in the manner of someone speaking to child who had proven himself especially dull witted. "I wish to cease my current actions and work, instead, in accordance with your Shield."

"You want to work for Shield." Fury repeated incredulously.

"Perhaps, but that is not, precisely, what I proposed."

Fury ground his teeth. "What do you, propose?"

"Hmm. I don't," Loki answered after a short moment of thought. "It is perhaps you that should be making a proposal to me. I am the one that has something to offer you. Romanov made me offer that I was inclined to take up. Perhaps you can do the same."

Fury slammed his hands on the table. Loki didn't flinch.

"You think you can come in here and make demands--"

"This is a negotiation, Director."

"You wanna negotiate, here are the terms; Give us the tesseract and maybe I won't skin your ass when you get the hell off my planet!" Fury yelled.

Loki stared at him, unmoved. "I wish not to leave," Loki told him. "And I not where the tesseract resides." Fury opened his mouth to yell gain, but Loki held up a hand. "Barton can likely tell you where it is. He is the last one that was with it, not I. And before you march out of here as if you have won something, you have not, there is more that I can tell you."

"Like whom you're working for?"

Loki blinked a moment in surprise, then smiled. It looked almost wicked. "Yes, Director Fury, like that."

Fury pulled out the chair and sat across from the god, hands folded on the table. Loki was acting just as unflappable as he had previously, so whatever he wanted, he wanted desperate to get it. He wasn't particularly trying to win any popularity contest at the moment, either, with his attitude. It would suggest that Romanov's assessment had been correct, but he couldn't think of what Loki would want. Despite the account of one of his best agents, he just couldn't wrap his mind around it.

"People don't just stop trying to take over the world to hold hands and be friends," Fury stated.

Loki's expression twisted with anger, but he calmed himself slightly, spitting out his next words. "Do not mock me, Director! I do not take kindly to it. If you believe I desire something as petty as friendship with you insufferable mortals, you are dearly mistaken. And do not wish for your forsaken planet. Do let the matter before you irritate me about it."

"That was not the impression that we were given," He stated flatly.

"You do not have all the facts."

"What are all the facts?"

"Are you actually interested in knowing or simply hurling more accusation at me?" Loki snapped.

Obviously, Barton was correct about the mood changes of the god. Fury tried to calm himself down. He still needed to get Loki talking and he seemed to be closing up the angrier he got.

"What did Romanov offer you?" He asked.

Loki paused to contemplate this change for a moment. "No." He shook his head. "That is not how this works, either. You cannot make me the offer the Romanov has."

"And why is that?"

Loki grinned, looking at the table between them. "I am not amenable to holding hands with you, Director Fury."

Clearly, he was being toyed with.

Fury rose.

"I will not leave, when this over. Not unless it is of my own will," Loki said. "That is not negotiable."

Fury growled and sat back down. "Fine."

Loki nodded. "You seem to look for more in my words than perhaps there is. I am being straight forward with you right now, Director. I wish an accord, not to be at cross purpose. I have, precisely, nothing on this planet and I believe that you could change that. I wish not to return to Asgard, which you could certainly and easily arrange. I wish not to bear the burden of rearing this helpless little planet, and that, I believe, we could help each other with."

"Alright. Say I believe you. Say I don't kick you back to Asgard. I give you a place with Shield, maybe; what do you do for me? For Earth?"

"I protect it."

"Are you kidding me?"

"No."

Another quiet fell where they just stared at each other, challenging, assessing. Then Fury said, "Tell me who you are working for."

"He is known as The Other, and he but the puppet of one much worse." Loki's eyes darkened as he spoke, a haunted look coming over his features. "He seeks to destroy. He comes for Midgard and he comes for the tesseract. Through the tesseract, in any scenario where he is able. I made a bargain to get here, but he is the one that gave me the means and the idea. He is the one who had eyes for the cosmic cube. You will be hard pressed to defeat him alone."

"Why are you working for him, if not for the Earth?"

"I had little choice in the matter. I struck a deal with him to get as far from him as possible, as I could not escape his hold on my own. I was... putting on something of a show, for his sake, a front so that he would not expect my true intentions. So that he would not know that I planned to betray him. Though betrayal would have only delayed the inevitable. If I ruled this pathetic realm, it would only have been for the purpose of fighting him off."

"Betray him how? What did he intend you to do? How would he know?"

"He watches. He can reach me... my mind... through the spear. He instructed me to open a portal, grant him easy access to your realm. I chose to construct a barrier instead." Loki paused, then attempted to lighten his expression as he added, "You people are horrible ill prepared to defend yourselves. It would have been to your benefit, if you let me rule."

"I thought you said that you didn't want the Earth," Fury replied.

"I don't," Loki answered. "That does not mean that I would not have taken it. You people are like children, unruly and in need of looking after. You'll forgive me if I thought you could use the help."

"You'll forgive us if we don't want your kind of help."

Loki shrugged. "It is no matter. I'd rather not the burden and Agent Romanov made a... tempting proposal. She alone convinces me that your planet is not as hopeless as I first thought."

"Oh?"

"Well... of course, Barton, as well, else I would not have taken him." Loki looked away thoughtfully. "Your Avengers are a paltry attempt at protecting your realm, uncoordinated and undisciplined, but they do intrigue me. I should think they would benefit from the coordination that working beneath me could bring them. A single touch could have them in perfect harmony." Loki's face scrunched up distastefully a moment. "However, I wish that thing to be out of my presence, now that I am free of it." He met Fury's eyes once more. "You'll have to find a way to rally your forces without it."

"We'll manage," Fur said flatly. "You haven't told me a thing about either of these supposed enemies."

At the distrust in those words, Loki appeared to shut off whatever openness he had been working towards. His expression smoothed until it betrayed nothing and his voice was just the same. "Well you have not agreed to any of the things that I desire, Director. Why should I give you yours."

"You know that I have no way to confirm this information."

"Barton has already told you that I was not here of my own account, else you would not have known you bring it up. You already have seen how volatile the tesseract can be, were planning to use it for own purposes, so it is not as if you cannot imagine so one else would want it, or would use it as entry to this realm." Loki sat up straighter. "And you may ask Thor about Thanos, the Mad Titan. Ask him what he knows of the man. Ask him if his approach is on to be lied about and if you can afford to ignore, even if it is. Ask him, if I am reasonable to want to protect this realm when you are all clearly fools."

Without another word, Fury stood. He wouldn't get any more from Loki anyway.

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In Which: Nick Fury talk to the team, Stark has reservation, and Loki shows up where he doesn't belong.

Nick Fury, true to his name, was practically seething when he entered the room that the Avengers were waiting in. The mood was somewhat anxious even without the anger he radiated, but he did nothing to calm them. Captain American had on his serious face as soon as fury entered, contrasting Stark, who seemed to go out of his way to look more relaxed than he already had, as if all of this was just some game. Thor seemed uncomfortable, anxious, unable to keep from fidgeting, while Clint and Natasha were almost not even moving, same as Banner, but for a suspected different reason.

Of course, it had to be Stark that spoke first. "So, it seems we got our Friendly Neighborhood Archer back. Should I count that as another point for Team Us?"

Fury just glanced at him, not in a mood for one of his games. Not that he ever was, and not that it ever made much difference, but ignoring Stark was usually easiest way to deal with him. After a look at all of them, being certain to catch each eye in the room, he spoke. "Loki claims to want to switch sides."

Thor sat up straighter at that, all attentiveness and hope. But then he paused, seeming caught between the rapidly growing hope and the obvious doubt. "My brother..." Thor begins slowly. "He is willing to give up his plight to rule Midgard?"

The Captain looked thoughtful and Banner didn't seem to want to be involved in the conversation one way or the other. Stark, never one to miss an opportunity to hear himself talk, actually asked something useful, for once. "Tall, dark, and crazy give up the cube?"

"No," Fury answered. "He advised that we look to Barton for that information. Claims that he doesn't know."

Clint's seemed to glower a bit before he answered. "He doesn't," He admitted, as if the words pained him. Not wanting to lend any credit to Loki's words, but just as unwilling to lie. "He instructed us to move it if he didn't come back by a certain. Said he didn't want to know where until after we sprung him." A pause. "I know where it is."

Fury nodded, expected as much. Not that he thought that Loki was one for the truth, but it would be too obvious a lie to be caught up in. "He claims that he was sent here by someone else. Someone worse." He looked to Thor. "What can you tell me about someone called Thanos?"

Thor's posture became rigid. "Thanos? The Mad Titan?" He questioned. Being met with only silence, he went on. "An enemy of Asgard, nay, all the Nine Realms. An immortal whose only goals are death and destruction to any corner of the universe he touches. He is a fiend that courts Deaths and a most dangerous enemy." His heavy gaze met Fury's. "You say Loki is working with this mad man?"

"Not, it seems, anymore." Fury's tone was a mixture of disbelief and sarcasm. "He claims to want to be one of us, that he was working for this Thanos against his will."

Thor nodded as if the information made complete sense to him. "No matter what madness Loki has of his own, he would not seek the aid of that villain. No one in the Nine Realms would be for enough to do so."

"Um, time out," Stark said, looking around at them all. "Mr. Kneel-before-me decides he wants to switch sides and we just believe him? I don't buy it. What does he want?"

"Asylum, it would seem."

The Captain leaned forward in his seat. "I talked with him earlier. He said he was _asked_ to join us."

"Offered, not asked." Natasha found herself saying, face expressionless. The distinction was important, but she knew no one else would notice or understand -- or care.

"And what, he just did? Just like that?" Stark questioned. "I don't buy it."

Natasha just shrugged.

Banner shock his head. "The guys out of his mind. We can't trust him."

"Who said we had to?" asked Natasha. "Shield works with questionable assets all the time. We don't have to trust, we just have to use him to our advantage."

Thor frowned at that. "You will not treat my brother that way!"

"Thor, buddy, your brother is trying to take over the world." Stark pointed out.

"Not of his own will, it would seem." Thor stood. "I will speak with my brother. If he is willing to change--"

"That may not be our best move," Fury interrupted. "One of his conditions was that he didn't want to be forced back to Asgard. Sending you in may send the wrong message."

Thor scowled and stood. "You intend to keep my brother from me?"

"We should all calm down," Steve said, also standing. "Thor, no one wants to keep your brother from you, but if he doesn't want to leave, sending you to talk to him may make him think we're rejecting his help. I... I admit, I can't completely read him, but... if he really wants to..."

"Leave it to the boy scout to take in strays," Stark commented. He turned to face the other man. "Hey, do you also get into vans with strangers? Believe everything people tell you, Cap?"

Steve's face became a severe frown. "There is nothing wrong with at least listening to what the guy has to say. If he really was force into--"

"I know you're a little out of touched, Captain, but in the last few things we've discovered this thing called _lying_. Turns out, people tend to do it a lot to save their skin."

"I don't think he's lying." Natasha said, because Loki came through on his end, and she would do her part. There was no harm in saying what she believed was true.

"I'm sorry, did Loki trade Barton in for you?" Stark asked. And she wouldn't have admitted it, but the answer to that was too close to 'yes' for her liking. "He get you with the Glow stick Of Destiny, too?"

"No." It came out harder than she intended. "I know liars," she insisted. "He wasn't lying."

Stark sat up straight at that. "Hold up. It was you, wasn't it? You offered him a deal to get him to switch over."

"I can't make deals for Shield.," She replied immediately.

Stark stared at her as if he didn't believe her for a minute. "What did you offer him?"

A slight narrowing of her eyes was the only sign of her raising temper. Fury looked at her as if to ask, 'yes, what did you offer him?' It took a little effort to make her voice come out as neutrally as if usually did. "My offer was the chance not to be against us and I didn't promise him anything." A lie, but it was truth for their purpose. She didn't tell Loki that he would have anything she offered if he switched side, all she did was sell the possibility.

"We shouldn't be fighting each." Steve spoke up.

"If we shouldn't fight each," Stark said, glancing around the room. "And we shouldn't be fighting Loki, who should we be fighting?"

"Thanos." They all sun around at the sound of Loki's voice, finding him grinning at the end of the room. He took a step forward, but didn't approach. "I got bored. of waiting," He offered in explanation.

Thor immediately took steps towards him. Loki took steps back. "Is this true, brother? That you wish--"

"I am not your brother," Loki said harshly. He moved his glare warily away from Thor and scanned the rest of the room. "And as I feel I am not being properly represented, I will repeat to you what I said to Director Fury. I was offered the opportunity not to be at odds with your Shield, and I would take it. It is very simple, though your primitive minds may refuse to comprehend it. It was a string of very unpleasant circumstances that landed me in Thanos’s company and I struck a deal with him so that I would be able to get far from him. It is not to my desire to hold to such a deal, and so if there is a better offer, such as Agent Romanov has extended, I would take it.”

“You understand why we would have a difficult time trusting someone that destroyed one of our facilities, kidnapped our men, ripped out a man’s eye, caused mass panic, and tried to take over our planet,” Fury deadpanned.

“There was nothing in my proposal about trust, Director, on either of our sides,” Loki responded in a similarly dry manner. “I am not inclined to be very trusting of an organization that has so very many secrets from those in it’s service. This arrangement is not very much about trust. It about alignment. Your interest and mine own happen to run parallel and so long as they do, it stands to reason they could possible entwine as well.

“On the other matters,” Loki continued. “I did not destroy your facility, the unstable energies of the Tesseract did that and it is no fault of mine. I neither opened the portal nor am I at fault that you mortals do not seem to realize when you are playing with forces that are out of your control. As for the kidnapping, I've returned Agent Barton to his rightful place,” Loki’s gaze landed on Natasha a moment. “And it was he that informed me that we needed an eye.”

“Are you blaming me—“ Barton stood up incredulously.

“Merely stating facts.” Loki said calmly. “Do you deny?”

He did not.

Loki went on. “I am stating that I am willing to completely abandon my plans to have this world at my feet. I shall apologize for the ‘mass panic’ should you so wish.” He looked around at them all, waiting.

Steve looked to Fury, seeming confused, but believing of Loki’s words. Banner shook his head a little at them all, but said nothing. Clint scowled.

“Brother—“ Thor tried again, but Loki cut him off.

“Whatever words you wish to have with me, now is not the time, Thor. And I am not your brother. My affairs have nothing to do with you.”

Thor looked like a kicked puppy and turned to look at Fury as well.

“If you wouldn't mind giving us a moment to discuss this is private,” Fury ground out, gaze intense on Loki.

Loki shrugged, walking casually to the door. “If you so wish it, I shall return to the room I was assigned to wait. I do hope that it will not take too terribly long, Director.”

They all watch as the door opens and closes. Fury’s glare turns to Thor. “I think you should tell us what abilities your brother has. We need to be prepared in case he pulls another stunt like this.”

“My brother is a master of a great many magics. Tricks and illusions are his specialty, but I admit, I do not know all that he is capable of.” Thor answered.

“Well isn't that great,” Stark muttered.

The room devolved in a heavy silence as they all lapsed into their own thoughts. Finally, it was Clint that spoke up. “Fuck, we’re gonna keep him, aren't we?” He asked the room. His face was dismayed as he looked around.

“I would not turn away my brother,” Thor said. The weight of that statement built in their minds as they imagined how easily Loki might be able to sway the Thunder God if only he did not scorn him.

“Better a potential ally than a confirmed enemy, right?” Steve asked.

“Am I the only one in this room that doesn't trust the crazy alien/god?” Stark asked.

“No,” Natasha answered. “And you don’t trust anyone, Stark.”

“Which is a better policy, I find, than trusting everyone.”

“If we deny him outright, it will only upset him more,” Banner spoke up. “Even if only to avoid the worse, we probably shouldn't dismiss him.”

“If Thanos does indeed come for your world, you will need all the strength you can muster. My brother would be good for such a task. He is clever and his magic very potent.”

“Fuck,” Clint swore again. “I’m not enthusiastic about this.”

Fury looked to Thor. “Are you able to take out your brother if necessary?” Thor pressed him lips together in a scowl, but Fury hurried to continue. “If we’re going to have him around, we need a way to keep him in line. Would you be willing to do that much?”

Thor’s features evened out again. “Whenever Loki and I would spar, I was most often the victor. My strength surpasses his own by much.”

“Then you have to stay on him. I won’t have a potential threat wandering around my base and doing as he pleases.”

Thor nodded, face serious. “Aye. I will watch my brother and keep him from more mischief.”

“We’re really doing this?” Stark asked. “Working with the fucking God of Mischief?” He looked around the room and the only objecting face he saw was Barton’s, but the expression was more resignation than objection. “Fine. Whatever.” Stark said, throwing his hands up and relenting. “We’re working with the God of Mischief. Great Plan. Really. Awesome.”

“Stark.” Fury said, voice dangerous.

Stark held his hands up further, staying silent.

 Fury's hands clenched behind his back and he let out a rough exhale, trying to dispel his displeasure. "Barton, speak to Agent Hill. I want someone on the Tesseract now."

"Does that mean that you're done with me?" Banner questioned quickly.

"We haven't gotten it back yet, doctor."

Barton pushed away from the table to leave.

Natasha looked up, meeting Fury's eyes. "Would you like me to talk to Loki, sir? See what else I can get out of him?"

"No," Fury answered frowning. "If there's still a threat, the team needs to know as soon as possible. I'll get him here. And we need to see how cooperative he is."

"We've already seen that," Stark mumbled.

"Can it, Stark." The older man went back to mumbling. Natasha simply shrugged, sitting back in her seat. She'd done all she needed to do. Surprisingly, though, she didn't find herself dismissing the matter from the mind.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the deal is struck and further complications arise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter took much longer than I wanted it to, but here it is! So without further delay...

Fury didn't look happy by the time he came to see Loki, but the god had already accepted that the man never looked happy, so that was no change. Loki kept his face impassive, just waiting. He'd already done all the pushing he found it feasible to do and he wasn't going to beg these mortals if they saw fit to refuse them. Fury stared at him long and hard and Loki thought about waiting the man out, but Loki was impatient when he wasn't actively trying to be otherwise.

"I assume you entered for a reason other than admiring my person?" Loki said with a raised eyebrow.

Fury's frown deepened. "Let's get a few things straight: I don't trust you."

"I wouldn't except you to, Director."

"But I am more than willing to make use of you, under a few provisions."

"Naturally."

Fury narrowed his eye, clearly unhappy with Loki's commentary, but the god simply returned the stare, waiting.

"You're going to be under surveillance and you aren't to harm any of my men; Thor's going to be keeping an eye on you, because I don't trust you as far as I can throw you and I'm betting he can keep you in line; You aren't going to have any contact with that little toy of yours; and if I catch you trying to pull any shit your ass is going right back to Asgard."

Loki sat up straighter, trying not grind his teeth at the thought of being babysat by Thor, making his voice cool and reasonable as he replied. "I do not intent to be caged, Director. I will not be going to any cell or glass cages, regardless of if you have me watched, I expect to be treated as an associate and not a prisoner. I have not desire to have any contact with the scepter and I shall... concede... to Thor's... presence, if I must."

"You must," Fury replied promptly.

"Well then, Director, I believe we have an accord," Loki said with a grin, equal parts polite and wicked. "I shall concede to your terms and you shall have my aid should you continue to agree to mine. Now, if it is not too much trouble, it has been a long day and I rather wish to retire to a room, rather than the glass box you saw fit to hold me in earlier."

Fury's eye twitched a moment and he made a motion toward the door and an agent entered. "Take our resident god to a... room."

The agent nodded, showing no fear as he gestured for Loki to follow him. Loki took the mortal's measure a moment as he followed. "My, you are confident in the company of your betters."

The man raised an eyebrow at the statement, but didn't directly reply to it. "When your brother was last here, I dealt with him. I suppose I'm used to it."

"He's not my brother," Loki replied swiftly.

"That's not the way he tells it."

"You'll find my brother has a very limited view of many things." The silence stood for a moment before curiosity got the better of him. "Who are you, mortal?"

"Agent Coulson," He replied. "I assume I'm to call you Loki?"

"You could stand to add more respect to the address. I am a prince and a god."

"And, if I understand it correctly, now you're working with Shield. I likely out rank you."

Oh, this mortal had some nerve, but it amused Loki for the moment. "No station under your Shield out ranks royalty."

"You aren't royalty here and I hope you aren't expecting to be treated like it," Coulson replied. "Here, you're a potential and likely temporary ally that was recently an enemy, and your people tend to cause trouble with they show up."

"And your tend to invite it when they play with forces beyond their control."

"After playing with fire a few times, you learn how to dose the flames, then you learn how to control them."

"One never controls fire, agent, not truly."

"But there are multiple way to put it out." Coulson stopped before a door, opening it for Loki to enter. "Something to keep in mind."

Loki narrowed his eyes at the mortal, who had a tiny polite, but clearly threatening smile. Loki gave a returning smile, meant to alarm. "Yes, but one must be careful of the smoke, after all. And many can be consumed by a flame before it can be contained or doused, after all." Then Loki walked into the room, wondering how long before the Director would push his luck. He didn't trust Fury or Shield to keep it's word, but hopefully their truce would last long enough that Loki would be able to find a way to deal with Thanos and the Avengers did amuse him.

* * *

 

It hadn't taken long for Clint to tell them where it was that he had left the Tesseract and Fury was quick to send the Avengers after it. He’d warned them that it was still to be guarded, but between Widow, Iron Man, and Captain America, no one was worried. There was a short back and forth about whether or not to send him in with the rest of the team, debate over whether or not he was still controlled and if his apparent release could be a trick, but Fury decided to risk it. Better to know now rather than later if he couldn't be trusted, and the rest of the team could handle one rogue archer. Banner, of course, opted to stay behind and Thor was needed to keep an eye on his brother.

Clint really wasn't expecting much trouble. Most of their men had attacked the Hellicarrier, so their weren't too many left. That was what made it so surprising to him, and the rest of the team, when they arrived and barely ten seconds later the place exploded.

“The hell?” Clint exclaimed as a group of cloaked figured emerged from the building.

“Any idea who they are?” Iron Man questioned.

“No,” Clint’s voice was hard.

“Then I guess we better stop them, because they have the cube.”

“Shit,” Clint swore.

The hatch was opened and Iron Man was out and on the ground blasting immediately, while the rest had to wait for Natasha to set the vehicle down. (Or in Captain America’s case, get close enough to jump.)

Once they were closer, they could see that the cloaked figures trying to make off with the cube were actually robots, because clearly they didn't have enough problems trying to fend off aliens and they needed a robot army to fight.

“Doom will not be denied!” One of the robots exclaimed.

“Who the hell is Doom!” Clint yelled, trying to figure where he needed to hit to bring the robots down.

“Either the bots or the guy controlling them. Wasn't really made clear,” Iron Man replied, blasting the bots easily, though they didn't go down quiet as easily.

“We can’t let them get away with the cube!” The captain yelled.

“No, really, Captain Obvious? I thought we were just here for conversation and tea.”

“This day could not get worse,” Clint mumbled to himself.

* * *

 

Of course, it did get worse.

Starting with losing the cube and ending with having to tell Fury they lost the cube.

They looked like a sorry group as they sat in the meeting room, suffering the intense stare of the one-eyes director. “You lost the Tesseract,” Fury repeated, what had to be the tenth time.

“We retrieved Selvig,” Steve offered.

Fury gave him a very unimpressed stare. After a few more moments of heavy silent shaming, Fury turned to Banner. “It seems we still need you to track the cube.”

“I never stopped the program that was looking for in the first place, so…” Banner trailed off.

Stark let out a frustrated breath. “And I was just starting to hope this would be over with.”

“Who even was that?” Steve asked no one in particular.

“Doom, didn't you hear?” Stark replied flippantly. “Certainly creative, whoever it is. Next villain will just call himself Evil. Or Injustice or something."

“We’ll find out who it is and then you all will take care of it,” Fury told them.

“Did I sign up this kind of treatment?” Stark grumbled.

“Didn't you?” Fury returned. “Rest up until we find the Tesseract. I don’t expect things will be getting easier just yet."

"Yeah, well, about that," Stark added before Fury could further dismiss him. "It may or may not lead us to the Teseract, but I was able to get a tracker on one of the escaped bots."

Fury, if possible, looked more upset by this revelation. "And you just mention this now?"

Stark shrugged. "I thought I'd let you finish. Feel better?"

Fury did not look impressed. "Find out where those things came from and find the Tesseract!" He commanded.

"On it, on it," Stark replied, taking out his phone.

Fury put a hand to his head, wondering why he ever thought The Avengers would be a good idea.


End file.
